Kerik no hero

To the Editor: In the (unattributed) article describing Benard Kerik’s appearance at the Sussex County 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, you describe the highlights of his “career” but make no mention of his two guilty pleas on ethics charges. You also make no mention that he was fired and deported from his security job in 1984 after an investigation by the Saudi secret police. Now, I can understand the editorial position in not mentioning the appearance of cronyism in his becoming a multi-millionaire, along with best buddy Rudy Giuliani, in what appears to be a sweetheart deal with Taser while he was commissioner of the NYPD (after having been declared bankrupt). In essence, though, your article completely fails as journalism -- you paint a picture of a hero, really quite the fantasy. Bernard Kerik is a two-bit bum, to honor him as the keynote speaker at this event brings shame to everyone involved who organized it. Those who support him point to the positions he held, especially that as commissioner of the NYPD on 9/11. Objectively, though, what was his role there -- that he was there? A very strong case can be made that because of his incompetence, many police and more fireman died needlessly that day, isn’t he ultimately responsible for the breakdown in command, control and communications? Personally, I believe people should be honored for the things they’ve done, not the positions they’ve held, not for the people they know and not for the situations they’ve endured. I won’t be there at the remembrance, Bernard Kerik is a nobody. Danny Holstein Sparta